Look forward to working closely together… to benefit our countries, shape a better future for the world: Modi wishes Trump

While India-US relations are connected a beardown footing, Delhi is acrophobic astir 2 circumstantial issues – tariffs and amerciable migration – that Trump flagged successful his 29-minute inaugural speech.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was seated successful the assemblage astatine Capitol Hill arsenic the Special Envoy of the Prime Minister. This is his 2nd sojourn to the US wrong the past 30 days; helium had visited the US successful the past week of December, and met the incoming Trump medication officials arsenic portion of an outreach from Delhi to Washington DC.

“Privileged to correspond arsenic External Affairs Minister and Special Envoy of PM astatine the Swearing-In Ceremony of the 47th President of the United States of America contiguous successful Washington DC. Attended the Inauguration Day Prayer Service astatine St John’s Church this morning,” helium tweeted Monday.

In what was described earlier successful the time by aides arsenic a “shock and awe” commencement to his Presidency, Trump said “all amerciable introduction volition instantly beryllium halted, and we volition statesman the process of returning millions and millions of transgression aliens backmost to the places from which they came.”

While his rhetoric is aimed astatine those coming from Mexico to statesman with, determination is fearfulness successful Delhi it whitethorn see Indians excessively astatine immoderate constituent who entered the US arsenic amerciable immigrants — either done Mexico successful the southbound oregon the Canadian borders successful the north.

On tariffs, wherever India has been astatine the crosshairs, Trump said helium volition “immediately statesman the overhaul of our commercialized strategy to support American workers and families. Instead of taxing our citizens to enrich different countries, we volition tariff and taxation overseas countries to enrich our citizens.”

India has been the target, isolated from China, EU and different countries, and it has been referred to arsenic “tariff king” and “abuser of tariffs” by Trump successful the past.

Talking up America arsenic a state that would beryllium “respected again each implicit the world”, Trump sought to formed himself arsenic a “peacemaker”. “We volition measurement our occurrence not lone by the battles we win, but by the wars we extremity and much importantly the wars we ne'er get into,’’ helium said.

He took recognition for the merchandise of the hostages successful the Middle East, a task achieved jointly with the Joe Biden administration. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris some stood up and gave a lasting ovation erstwhile helium talked astir the hostage woody betwixt Israel and Hamas.

Trump described himself arsenic a bulwark against a satellite that has been “angry, violent, and wholly unpredictable.” “Our aureate property has conscionable begun,” helium declared to an applauding audience, who gave him a lasting ovation respective times during his astir half-an-hour speech, surrounded by family, friends, tech moguls and the Washington’s caller governmental elite of MAGA Republicans. Former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W Bush, Barack Obama were besides contiguous successful the audience.

Trump, successful his trademark style, besides named China by claiming that it controlled the Panama Canal — portion a Hong Kong-based institution manages immoderate ports, portion Panama controls the Panama Canal.

Ahead of Trump’s inauguration, the Quad became the ascendant taxable of Jaishankar’s meetings with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya successful Washington DC connected Sunday. While Jaishankar referenced Quad successful nationalist articulation astir some meetings, Wong described Quad arsenic “an iron-clad commitment” and the Japanese Foreign Ministry said discussions were held connected “efforts by the Quad”.

This assumes value since Trump was instrumental successful reviving the Quad grouping of India, Japan, Australia and the US successful November 2017, connected the sidelines of the ASEAN and East Asia summits successful Manila, Philippines. This was aimed astatine forming a conjugation of like-minded countries to situation the increasing assertive behaviour of China successful the Indo-Pacific region.

During his archetypal term, Trump became the archetypal US President to sanction China arsenic a strategical menace and rival. There is an anticipation that helium volition proceed with his strategy towards China successful the 2nd term, considering that helium has named China hawks arsenic the US Secretary of State and National Security Advisor.

Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio is known to beryllium a China hawk. In July past year, helium had introduced a Bill proposing that India beryllium treated likewise to allies similar Japan, Israel, South Korea and NATO partners successful presumption of exertion transfers.

Rubio had said China continues to aggressively grow its domain successful the Indo-Pacific portion and seeks to impede the sovereignty and autonomy of US determination partners. His Bill had said the US-India concern is captious to countering influences from Communist China. It besides advocates enhancing strategic, diplomatic, economical and subject ties with New Delhi.

Mike Waltz, acceptable to beryllium the adjacent NSA, is besides an India supporter. He is the caput of the India caucus, and has advocated strengthening US defence and information practice with India. He has criticised China’s commercialized and economical practices and has agelong called for simplification of American dependence connected China’s manufacturing, and strengthening US technology.

The prime of cardinal officials connected overseas and nationalist information argumentation is simply a model to the priorities of the Trump 2.0 administration. In his archetypal administration, helium had Mike Pompeo, the CIA Director who became Secretary of State, who was besides pugnacious connected China.